On June 4, US President Donald Trump shared a letter on Twitter. In the letter, he called the protesters near the White House as terrorists, they were the ones who were dispersed from a park by the military on June 1.
Phony protesters?
The former lawyer of President Trump and a veteran attorney, John Dowd, sent a letter to former Secretary of Defense James Mattis. Dowd responded to the statement of Mattis on CNN criticizing the response of the president regarding the protest that is happening nationwide.
All 50 states of America are protesting against police brutality after the gruesome death of George Floyd in the hands of four police officers in Minneapolis.
Dowd's letter called the protesters "phony" and claimed that they were not peaceful and not real. He called the protesters "terrorists" and that they are using students that are filled with hate just to destroy properties and burn the city. He also wrote that the protesters are abusing and disrespecting the police.
The president shared the horrifying letter on Twitter, which reveals what he thinks about the ongoing demonstrations in the United States.
On June 1, he called himself "your President of law and order" as the peaceful protesters outside the White House gates were brutally dispersed as the military threw flash bangs and tear gas at them and shoot them with rubber bullets so he can do a photo-op at a nearby church.
Name-calling
The offensive letter of Dowd drew criticism from the Modern Military Association of America, a nonprofit organization for the veteran community and LGBTQ military.
The group's interim executive director, Air Force veteran Jennifer Dane, said that President Donald Trump crossed a very serious line that demands forceful and fast condemnation by every Member of the Congress.
Dane added that he promoted a letter that labels the American citizens that are peacefully protesting as terrorists, and that it is a breach of his oath to preserve, protect and defend the Constitution of the United States. She wants Trump to be held accountable for his reckless actions.
Mattis responded to Trump's approach and released a statement on June 3 and said that the cities of the country are not "battle spaces" and that the military must not be called upon to "dominate." Mattis added that the military must only be used on very rare occasions.Militarizing the response to the protest sets up a conflict between the military and the civilians.
President Trump defended his response to the protests and tweeted on June 4 that he did not have a problem with the National Guard helicopter flying over the protesters in Washington on June 1.
Aside from the inquiry requested by Secretary of Defense Mark Esper, The District of Columbia National Guard is also investigating the incident. The helicopter was sent to deter criminal activity such as looting and rioting, according to a defense official.
The official declined to be identified because the Washington National Guard is now investigating whether the flights of the helicopters were done appropriately.
